


Effects of Sound

by Flubi



Series: trip through time [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Gen, Major trauma, Mute Vanya Hargreeves, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Sober Klaus Hargreeves, Time Travel Fix-It, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2019-11-23 11:17:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18151166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flubi/pseuds/Flubi
Summary: Vanya wakes up in her thirteen year old body.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> some notes (because I didn't want to be mean to the tag wranglers):  
> vanya is the first to remember vanya exhibits major trauma/depression/unhealthy coping habits. luther will not bashed, but he will be held responsible. I hc vanya as lesbian, but there will be no romance, until maybe epilogue. vanya is mute. white violin is a voice in vanya's head and it thinks they are a god. uh no incest, this will be a family fic with everyone helping each other recover the proper way. everyone remembers but it is staggered.

Vanya blinked up at the ceiling.

She rolled over and looked around the room. The blinked again.

Vanya screamed.

* * *

 

After she'd registered that she was back in her room from seventeen years ago, she tried to figure out how she got there again.

The last thing Vanya remembered was going to the concert. Playing with all of her heart and seeing Allison there. Smiling at her from the crowd. The building pressure sitting at the back of her head. Vanya pitched forward and clutched her head.

**_They were here! They were here to ruin everything for her! She'd made something her own for once and they were here to ruin it for her again!_ **

_Armored men shooting at her family- No please don't hurt them!- The lady from before was here too- Go away!_

_**They deserve it! Why can't you accept that? They've done nothing to help or protect you! Only tried to ruin everything of yours!** _

_Vanya twirled her bow and played harder- Five is here! Save them!- Vanya turned her uncaring eyes away._

**_You shouldn't be happy! He's just like them! He left you to the others, so focused on himself to bother thinking about what he was doing, abandoning you!_ **

_They were running at her now- Where is Allison? Is she hurt? NOnonOnoNOT because of her!- Vanya lifted the bow and slashed it out. Her brothers flew back until they were caught by a stream of light leading back to her chest._ **_  
_ **

_**It's what they deserve, Vanya. They made you into this, it's better this way. Gods don't need weaklings.** _

_Allison was behind her, she resisted the intense urge to turn around- I'll never hurt Allison again!-_

_The Crescendo ripped itself from her body._

_T_ _hen numbness._

_Vanya saw the moon shatter._

_She heard her siblings trying to find a way out of this._

_She felt Luther pick her up._

_Then-_

Then she was back in her room from seventeen years ago. She was once again a thirteen year old. And she'd caused the Apocalypse twice.

Vanya collapsed onto her bed and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

 

"Sweetie, are you alright? You didn't come down for dinner?" Mom open the door.

Vanya didn't turn her gaze away from the ceiling. She didn't want to taint Mom. Mom may have been programmed, but she was the only one to provide constant affection and care. Mom didn't deserve to have a daughter that fucked up so horribly.

Who wants a daughter that destroyed the world twice?

"Sweetie? You have to eat, are you not feeling well?" Mom sat on her bed and brushed her bangs away from her face. Vanya did her best not to flinch away from her hand. Mom gauged her temperature.

"It seems you're fine? Please tell me what's wrong, Vanya. You can tell me." Vanya shifted her focus to mom. Vanya opened her mouth, ready to tell her what was wrong. Her mouth snapped shut and Vanya blinked in surprise.

Vanya couldn't tell mom, she would just tell father. She shook her head and turned back to the ceiling.

"That's okay sweetie, tell me when you're ready. Get up, let's go fix you some of your favorite food." Mom nudged her into a sitting position, grabbing her hand. Mom dragged her down to the kitchen and sat her at the table.

Vanya stared at her clasped hands, and waited. Waited for one of her siblings to some running down the stairs and try to kill her. Waited for father to appear out of nowhere and accuse her of being the worst mistake he'd ever met. Waited for mom to turn against her.

But none of that happened. Only a plate of waffles was slid in from to her.

Vanya smiled weakly at mom and slowly began to eat. She held back her grimace at the taste of ash. After all it was just her imagination.

* * *

 

After finishing her waffles, Vanya stumbled back up to her room. She was glad that father had a mandatory bedtime. She didn't know what'd she do if she ran into one of her siblings.

Vanya shook her head. She stumbled over something nearly fell over before catching herself on the doorknob.

Vanya looked down and saw her violin case. The whole world screeched to a stop.

Her lightning rod. The tool used to end the world and slash Allison's throat open. Was it white? Or a bloody red.  _She didn't mean to! Someone please help her! Her sister was bleeding out- dying!_

The violin case rocketed across the room an slammed against the wall. Vanya didn't know whether she kicked it or her powers did, she didn't care.

Vanya huddled herself in the furthest corner from the case and settled in for the night.

* * *

 

Vanya woke up with a sore neck and an aching back.

She stood up and followed the routine engraved into her mind. Make her bed. Change into her uniform. Brush her hair. Brush her teeth. Practice her violin.

She paused before the last one. It would seem weird to the others if she didn't. It was the only thing the others knew she was passionate about. So to not hear her violin playing in the morning would be a sign that something is wrong. But Vanya didn't want to touch that violin, at all. It may not be the one she used to destroy the world with, but it was the one that she'd used for years. Vanya shook her head and walked downstairs to the kitchen.

Vanya paused when she saw Pogo, father, mom, and Ben in the room. She'd killed two of them. Two people had died because she couldn't control her temper. Mom trapped under the rubble, and Pogo speared on the antlers in the library. Would it be better if she left? To not risk a repeat of what happened last time?

She glanced rapidly between the two. She should run away, try her lu-

"Sweetie, are you still not feeling well?" Mom broke through her panic. Vanya shook her head and ran to her seat at the head of the table. Vanya stared resolutely at her plate. This way she wouldn't have to see angry and disappointed eyes. Father always though the was a disappointment.

She ignored the others streaming in, all of them seemed to do the same. She wondered if they remembered like her? They probably didn't. They hadn't tried to attack her yet.

They all ate their breakfast, the others went off with father. Vanya disappeared into the library, looking for books on music theory.

* * *

 

Vanya had found quite a few books on music theory, all ones she'd read before. But this time she was looking for anything that could help focus or explain her powers. She towed the books into the kitchen and plopped them onto the table.

She grabbed the top one and started combing through it. She read for hours on end, only coming out of her focus when mom put a plate of sandwiches in front of her. Even then, she only paused long enough to pick up a sandwich and continue reading.

_'... certain sounds can evoke feelings or emotions... some can slow down electrical patterns in the brain... relaxing feeling...'_

Vanya frowned and took another bite of her sandwich. This was something she knew already. But it had potential.

She knew that the emotion she was feeling when she manipulated sound was important. But could the opposite be true? Could she make someone feel love, joy, or sadness? Vanya felt her hand twitch, itching to write down her theories. She clamped down on that urge, she didn't want father to find out what she was doing.

Vanya was brought out of her thoughts once again when mom handed her her pills. She took them automatically, but hesitated. Did she want to go back the apathetic loop she lived in before? No. No, it was what made the release of her emotions so much more catastrophic.

Vanya hid the pills under her tongue and waited a few minutes before excusing herself to the bathroom. She cringed at their half-melted state.

Vanya took the books to her room and spent the rest of the day in lessons with her tutor.

* * *

 

Vanya continued her routine for the next few days. Until father stopped her after breakfast.

"Number Seven. Stay behind, the rest of you continue to training room three. I will be with you shortly." Vanya clutched her hands and waited stiffly by her seat. The others all glanced at her in curiosity, but did as father said.

Vanya felt her body stiffen with every passing second. Father read his newspaper a few moments longer.

"Number Seven, I have noticed that you have not been playing your violin lately, nor have you been speaking. Why?" Sweat broke out on her forehead. She'd hoped he wouldn't notice, at least not so soon. But she knew it was inevitable.

Father followed her progress with the violin closely. So, Vanya did the the worst possible thing she could've done, she shrugged. Father's eye narrowed a minuscule amount, and Vanya was filled with fear. Father never really showed emotions on his face, always his voice.

"Number Seven, answer me." Anger seeped into his voice and Vanya wanted to shout out every secret she held. To tell him that she'd almost killed Allison. That she'd stopped taking those horrid pills. About the Apocalypse. Instead she shrunk in on herself even further. She'd tried to speak, but every time she tried, there seemed to be a block stopping her. Even with Five. She just couldn't speak. Maybe she was afraid of what she would say.

Vanya opened and closed her mouth several times and hunched in on herself.

"Fine. Go and retrieve your violin, and bring it here, Number Seven." Her eyes widened in shock. She ran up the stairs to do as he demanded. She hesitated a few seconds, afraid to touch the violin. But closed her eyes and grabbed it. If she couldn't see it, she could trick herself into believing it was a book.

That worked for all of two seconds, the handle of the case grew warmer. It was like the violin knew she was holding it. She resisted the urge to throw it away from herself.

The trip downstairs was even quicker than the one upstairs. The quickly warming violin case scared her. Father had an expectant look on his face.

"Hand it over Number Seven." Vanya all but threw it at him with how fast she let go. Father narrowed his eyes even more.

"Now, Number Seven. I will hold onto this until you regain your voice and lose your insolence." Vanya was torn between relief and anger. He was holding one of her personal possessions against her. But he was taking that tool from her. The lightning rod of the Apocalypse. If he kept it, would the Apocalypse happen? Hope blossomed in her.

"Study in the library, Number Seven." Reality dragged her back down. Vanya nodded, and walked to the library.


	2. #6

Her siblings seemed to want no contact with her after father took her violin. She couldn't really blame them.

After her violin was taken, she became even more reclusive and less willing to maintain the illusion she was okay. So she threw herself even further in trying to find out the extent of her power.

She'd made some headway, but not enough for her to be satisfied. Vanya had accidentally figured out that she could use any sound to do almost anything. Her ability was more versatile than any of her siblings. She swallowed the bitterness that came with that thought.

* * *

 

Vanya was alone in the kitchen, fixing herself a sandwich, having missed lunch because she was reading through every book she could get her hands on.

She was humming Für Elise, longing to play her violin with a pianist again. She needed a knife to spread the mustard crossed through her mind. She dismissed it and moved to just smear it with a piece of meat. She jolted when a butter knife clattered onto the table.

She'd blinked and looked around. The drawer holding the silverware was open and no one was in sight. Then she grabbed the knife and inspected it. She didn't know what she was looking for, but she couldn't find anything wrong with the knife.

The knife was fine.

* * *

 

After that, she'd eaten her sandwich quickly, glad no one had seen what she'd done with the knife. There were a few more incidents that followed along the same vein, but they were hardly ever on purpose. Always accidental.

And that routine continued on for another week. Until something different broke it.

* * *

 

Ben was back.

Vanya didn't know what to do. She was comfortable with how things had been, not happy but definitely comfortable. No one had bothered her, and she was content to wallow in pity, self-loathing, and self-isolation. She knew it wasn't healthy.

But Ben broke that routine. He didn't immediately adjust like she did. He seemed to have moments of Clarity, where he seemed to wonder at Klaus's sober state, or at the fact that Fives was home and not on some suicidal mission. He never seemed to have any of those moments with her, and honestly, she was glad. She didn't think she could handle the look in his eyes.

So of course it didn't last.

The next moment of Clarity happened when she was in the library, reading and taking notes on the couch. Ben was sitting on one of the chairs doing the same. She was disarmed by his quietness, he wouldn't bother her. He never did.

So she was shocked when he did.

"Vanya?" Her pen dragged roughly across the page, nearly tearing it. She looked up, and saw the Clarity in his eyes. She swallowed and braced herself.

"H-how are you?" Ben asked, on the edge of something. Desperation, longing, or panic? Maybe a cocktail of all three.

Carefully she flipped to a clean page in her notebook and wrote, 'Fine.'. He deflated at that. It seemed that moments of Clarity had the consequence of him not remembering anything that happened in this body. He only had his own knowledge, and conversely the thirteen year old Ben had no memory of what'd happened when the other Ben took over.

"Are you sure? Why aren't you talking?" She quickly wrote the answer to the first question, but the second had the pen sitting on the page. She showed him what she wrote and shrugged. It wasn't easily explained, not even to herself.

Ben set his book down. He didn't bookmark the page, thirteen year old Ben would be confused. She tilted her head when Ben stood up.

"Can I hug you, Vanya?" She stiffened and looked at the doors. Ben seemed to catch the look in her eyes, and backed off a bit. He instead kneeled down by the arm of the couch, out of the way of the exits. She'd barely registered that.

"Please, Vanya?" She looked down at her hands. What could it hurt? It's not like Ben had super strength.

Vanya nodded. Warm arms wrapped around her, she barely kept herself from stiffening. Instead she went limp, ready to slip out of his hold at a moments notice. Ben held onto her for a few minutes, seeming to gain energy from it.

"I'm home, Vanya. And I'm here to stay." Ben whispered against her shoulder. Vanya couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She didn't know how much she needed to hear those words.

Seconds later, thirteen year old Ben was back. He continued to hug her while he she cried. Even if he was confused.

* * *

 

Ben came back to Clarity one more time, then then the Clarity seemed to settle. He was home.

* * *

 

Reginald Hargreeves was a deceivingly complicated man. To outsiders he seemed buried in mystery, hidden behind layers of curtains, his emotions under layers of locks. But Reginald was a simple man. He cared about two things, preventing the apocalypse, and control. Preventing the apocalypse was easy to explain.

Buy seven extraordinary children off their ordinary mothers. Train them, break them down, and build them up even stronger. Making the children stronger and more capable of stopping the apocalypse was his only concern.

Conversely, if the children got too strong, and fled his control. He broke them down, brutally. After all that's what happened to Number Seven. She had the greatest power of all the children that he'd adopted. But that power also helped her break the cookie cutter mold he'd carefully crafted for the children.

He'd locked her up, manipulated her, and drugged her until she was no longer recognizable anymore. If he couldn't control his children, he'd neutralize them.

So it concerned him when Number Seven started displaying signs of her powers. The butter knife, the light switch, and book. All signs of his faltering control. 

But, he tapped his finger on his desk. Analyzing the footage, he noticed she seemed to have some measure of control over her powers. Sure, it came out in bursts, not entirely on purpose, but it had potential.

He brought out his notebook and took notes, considering his options. Break her again, or mold her while he still could?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh you poor, sweet, summer child, you forgot about the cameras.
> 
> Korn- Black is the Soul, Seether - Fake It, and anything by Five Finger Death Punch were some songs i listened to while writing this in one sitting. i had to play to loud and energetic songs to stay awake, so sorry if this chapter is really edgy, this should be the worst. except for maybe when luther and allison show up.
> 
> thank you to everyone who had commented, bookmarked, and kudosed! you guys make my day when I get the email alerts!


	3. tapping to the tempo

Vanya didn't want to say things changed, because to the others, they haven't.

Ben and her were the only ones who remembered, and it seemed that made a world of difference in how Vanya communicated. She still wasn't speaking. To anyone. But armed with a notepad and a pen she was able to communicate easier.

It was easier because she didn't make a sound outside the flipping of a page. She made sure to steal one of the silent, gliding pens. Father didn't mind too much, because at least now she responded to his questions.

She tried not to notice his increasingly deepening stares. They held something she didn't want to examine too long.

* * *

 

"Vanya, do you want to sneak out to Griddy's?" Vanya paused at Ben's mischievous question. Ben was more carefree nowadays, at least more than she remembered him being as a child. And from what he'd told her about his time as Klaus's broken impulse control.

It seems that he was enjoying his time with a sober Klaus. And the fact that Klaus wouldn't even think about drugs and alcohol until he was fourteen. So he didn't even have to worry until they all turned fourteen. By that time, Ben would be there to put a hard stop to anything Klaus would try.

Vanya almost wanted to step in and help too. But she always felt too awkward.

She wrote 'Sure.', and turned back to the drawing her and Ben were making. 

It was horrible by all means, but Ben took pleasure in the simplest things nowadays. Scribbling on a piece of paper without care was one of those things.

The drawing was their collaborative rendition of their family. They exaggerated Luther's buffness, similar to how he'd been when they were thirty years old. Diego was in his BDSM gear wielding a knife. Made Allison's hair poofy and blonde, put her in a pretty dress. 

They avoided all references to drugs when drawing Klaus. Klaus was the most eccentrically dressed, bright pink skirt, puke green top, and an electric blue boa.

They left Five alone. They put him in his usual outfit, the Academy uniform. Both out of respect and fear.

Ben let her draw him. She exaggerated the fact that he read, and drew books stacked on his head. (She avoided drawing him in dark clothes or with tentacles. She wasn't sure where he stood on that.)

In return, she let him draw her. He drew her in the outfit she'd worn the day of father's funeral. She laughed at that, he captured her fashion sense. Then he drew a donut into her hand and couldn't stop laughing. (She was relieved he'd avoided any mention of music.)

Mother was drawn in with the utmost of care, she was the most detailed one drawn. Her usual beautiful skirt was colored in with light pink, and her curls a bright yellow.

Father and Pogo were drawn haphazardly in the cramped open space of the paper. The sun in the corner took up more space than the two of them combined.

Everyone was drawn as a stick figure.

Ben pinned their drawing on the fridge with a devil may care smile. Vanya tried to hide her grin, but imagining everyone's reaction to it broke her control. 

Father wouldn't care, but he cared for little. Luther would sputter at it, Allison would would do a double take before getting a snack, Diego and Five would squint at it and then walk away like they'd never seen anything, and Klaus would giggle and add something to it.

Vanya muffled her giggles and let Ben drag her up to his room. His room varied little compared to hers, his was just full of more books. She would've said less music sheets, but she'd stuffed those into shoe boxes under her bed. Vanya immediately felt better after that, so she didn't think long on it.

Ben pushed her towards his bed and went for a notebook hidden under piles of books. He found a sharpie not long after.

"Okay, so what's our game plan? Sneak out now when no one expects it, or nine at night when everyone will expect us to, and only have thirty minutes to shove as many donuts in our mouths?" Vanya raised her eyebrows at him and tried not to laugh. That was a common theme between the two of them nowadays. He said something ridiculous, and she tried not to laugh at him.

"Yeah, that was a stupid question. Should we bring Klaus along? We might need his lock picking to get back in." Vanya frowned and looked away in consideration. They  _might_  need Klaus' skills, but she didn't exactly want someone else involved in their stuff. Klaus didn't even have his Clarity yet.

She shook her head. As much as she wanted to connect more with her brother, he would either push her to the side and she'd be left out or they'd accidentally isolate Klaus with their secrets. She didn't want to risk either.

Ben frowned in disappointment, but his goofy smile returned not long after.

"Gotcha, so how much money were you able to stash up? I've got forty-two dollars under my bed." Ben dove under the bed and retrieved the shoe box. Vanya flashed him a thirty-seven with her fingers.

"We'll be able to by so many donuts." Ben slapped the bills into her hand. She was the more responsible one when it came to holding onto things. He was too used to not having to hold onto things, and often left them behind.

Vanya sent him a small smile. He got up and opened his window, he left through first.

Ben had explained earlier, that his tentacles had no violent inclinations towards her. Anyone, actually. (Except their father, Ben did his best to stay away from father.) So it would be better if he went first, ready to catch her if anything went wrong. A very real possibility in her clumsy body.

* * *

 

The waitress at Griddy's was a pleasant woman named Agnes. She treated them like normal kids and let them sit at the counter. That was unusual because the counter was reserved for quick (adult) customers.

Ben and Vanya didn't care for that fact though, and just ordered as many donuts as they could with seventy-nine dollars. Which was a lot, Vanya forgot how much prices had risen since she was a kid. Here, a donut cost her twenty-five cents, but in her old time they were two dollars.

So, yeah, they had way too many donuts.

Ben turned to her with an unsure smile. Vanya put her index fingers to the corners of her lips and drew up, sent a thumbs up, and dug in. Ben worried too much, whatever they didn't eat, they could just donate to a local shelter, or bring back to the Academy.

Ben grabbed a glazed donut and Vanya a bear claw. They toasted with them and dug in.

Vanya was five donuts in, when the men with guns burst in.

* * *

 

Five watched Ben and Vanya. They'd changed.

Vanya's change was more obvious. She'd gone mute, and basically cut all contact with everyone outside of necessity. (It hurt, that she would do that to him. They were supposed to be close, but she cut all contact with him.) She'd stopped smiling.

Ben's was almost unnoticeable, but he'd been watching him. Especially after Ben started hanging out with Vanya more, and she'd started smiling again. (Didn't that make him mad.) Ben's change was that he watched everyone with wet eyes. They were directed with more frequency towards him, Klaus, and Vanya.

He'd stewed on that. Almost overflowing with the need to confront them and ask what the hell was going on. He'd wait a bit longer, let those two settle, then he'd ambush them with questions.

He couldn't stand being left in the dark.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some notes (because i wasn't able to get around to it in the chapter): if u couldn't notice, ben was overcompensating, trying to cheer vanya up at the expense of handling his own feelings. some insight into five, bc vanya is a really bad narrator. ben is taking any chance he can to touch anything and everything.
> 
> I Can't Believe BDSM Isn't A Word According To My Spellcheck.
> 
> this story is very fly by the seat of my pants, so if there's something you want to see, leave a comment below and i'll see what i can do. mostly because this is a test of patience for me, usually i post a fic and update once a year, so yeah.
> 
> happy transgender day of visibility!!


	4. istanbul not constantinople

When Vanya was just Ordinary Vanya, father saw that she learned how to defend herself. He wouldn't allow the Ordinary one to be used against the family if she was ever attacked by someone outside the family. So he took her aside and had Mom teach her how to fight while everyone was learning how to harness their powers.

Most of it had faded by the time she'd become tutor for aspiring musicians. But some of it had stuck through the years.

Use your environment to your advantage.

Elbows and knees are the strongest parts of your body.

Fight dirty, anyone going after her would.

When Vanya heard the doors slam open, she knew they were here for them. Vanya swiped a knife and the napkin holder from the counter. She watched Ben grab his knife, and undo the bottom buttons out o the corner of her eye. Agnes ducked behind the counter and Vanya did her best to keep her eyes off where she was.

The men spread out behind them. The clatter of guns cocking and boots stomping made the voice perk up in the back of her head.

"Hargreeves, the Handler has decided you're too much of a threat to the timeline. But she is forgiving, subject yourselves to the mind wipe and everything will be swept under the rug." An authoritative voice cut through the noise. Vanya gulped and clutched the knife even tighter.

So many thoughts rushed through her head, she was struggling to contain them and quiet the voice. She almost missed what Ben said.

"And what if we don't?" They both knew what would happen if they didn't. Or at least a worst case. Ben was just stalling, his tentacles were slowly unfurling from his chest.

"You will be put down for the final time, and the girl will be locked away until it's her turn to cause the end of the world." Vanya cut her finger on her knife. 

They knew.

Everything exploded into action when Ben sent his tentacles flying. Vanya launched herself at the nearest man. He wasn't expecting her to run at the man with the gun, and was easily knocked back. Vanya ripped off his helmet, and hit him in the temple with it. The man fell still.

Vanya picked up his gun and moved to the next.

The whole fight burred together and Vanya hardly remembered a thing in between trying to ignore Ben's slaughter, and voice urging her to join him in the killing. Vanya stuck to knockouts and incapacitating blows, even if she knew Ben would just finish them off for her. He couldn't have them coming after them again. She'd lost the gun sometime during the fight, and gained a knife.

She pried her hand of the knife and let if clatter to the ground.

She was sure she had been shot, but adrenaline swiped if from her mind. Eventually the fight stopped abruptly.

She should contact father. They'd need his influence to get out of this, she thought numbly. The police wouldn't take her and her bloody hands seriously. Her hands dropped and she focused on finding Ben in the mess.

It was hard, because he blended into the bloody walls and floors. Ben was drenched in blood and didn't seem regretful. In the process of tucking his tentacles back into his chest he made eye contact with her.

"Are you okay, Vanya?" She hesitated before nodding. Physically she was, for now. She'd need medial attention soon. And she didn't remember most of the fight. So maybe fine mentally.

Ben didn't smile but he did look content. Vanya pointed at the counter. Agnes was still there, and most definitely traumatized. Ben nodded in turn, they both made their way over. They both silently agreed he would speak while she was face. She was covered in the least amount of blood.

Least likely to scare the waitress caught up in a gun fight. Vanya tapped the counter and leaned over it. Her hair formed a curtain around her face. After tucking her hair behind her ears, Ben spoke up.

"Miss, are you alright?" Vanya made eye contact with Agnes, and tried not flinch when Agnes cowered away.

"Do you have someone you can contact, miss?" Agnes would need someone to take her home, someone to make sure was fine in the morning.

"My mom's not here. I should go visit her." Vanya turned back to Ben, confused. He shrugged and prompted Agnes again.

"Miss." Agnes seemed to snap out of it.

"I-I have a boyfriend." Vanya sighed. She would hate to leave Agnes like this, she needed some sort of support system after this.

"We'll walk you home, you don't need to worry about what happened today. We'll take care of it." Vanya smiled reassuringly at Agnes. Agnes processed that slowly.

"But you're just kids..." Ben seemed to sag behind her. He cleared his throat and got ready to give his spiel.

"Miss, have you ever heard of the Umbrella Academy?" Ben starts slowly. Some people haven't and some live vicariously through the six children. It's a tossup if people recognize them. Agnes shakes her head.

"The Umbrella Academy is made up of six children with superpowers who go out and fight crime under the watch of Reginald Hargreeves." Ben made eye contact with her, but continued on. "I am one of the children, and my sister is just as capable. We can escort you to your boyfriends house...?" Ben trailed off, waiting for Agnes's reply.

Agnes seemed to drift further and further away, paying less attention the longer the conversation went on. Vanya carefully reached down and touched her shoulder. Agnes jerked back into focus.

"Please..." Agnes finally replied. When she made to stand up, Vanya pushed her down. Vanya nudged Ben with her foot, then pointed around the room. He nodded.

"Is there a back way out of here miss?"

* * *

 

The walk home was quiet. They were both thinking about and weighing what the men had said. They did not know a lot about who this Handler person was, but they did not trust her. She sent a full squad of men after them, just so she could assure that the apocalypse would happen.

The talk with father as even quieter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just to be clear, there is a new handler.


	5. lets dance!

Ben and Vanya came back to a quiet house. Quiet, but not empty. Mom, Pogo, and father were waiting for them, all wearing disappointed faces.

Ben and Vanya shared a look. Vanya wondered what exactly they were disappointed about. Them sneaking out, fighting in a donut shop, or tracking dirt and blood through the foyer. Vanya hoped it was the last one.

"Where have you two been? It's past your bedtime. And why are you covered in blood?" Mom tutted and walked over to them. She licked her thumb and started rubbing at Ben's cheek. Vanya couldn't help but think that was useless, Ben was covered in head to toe in blood.

"Number six, why are you covered in blood." Father punctuated his demand by stabbing his cane into the ground. Ben spoke around mom's probing thumb.

"Vanya and I were cornered in the donut shop by a group of armed men. We fought them off. It got messy. Can you take care of the police for us?" Ben said, trying to avoid mom's thumb. Father gave them a considering glance, his eyes lingering on Vanya.

"We?" Vanya didn't like the look in his eye, so she stared at the ground. Her arm was numb, she noted.

"Yes. Vanya took care of the ones I couldn't and watched my back." Ben looked at him warily, but answered. Mom finished wiping his face, everything still stained by the blood.

"Hm. Get washed and changed, then meet me in my office to debrief." Father ordered, then walked away.

Pogo smiled kindly at them, and then followed father. Mom stayed with them, filling up their baths, and set their clothes on the counter. Vanya smiled at him before she went to her bathroom.

Her bath was quick, and slow. She did her best to wash as quickly as possible, avoiding memories of Leonard. Memories of her washing the blood from her hands after slashing Allison's throat open. Him whispering words of poisoned honey to her. Her killing him. Her causing the apocalypse.

She stood from the bath and toweled off. Ignoring the blood dripping down her arm.

* * *

 

"Vanya, you're bleeding." Ben pointed out quietly. Mom switched gears, and turned her attention to Vanya. Vanya looked down, and for the first time tonight Vanya seemed to realize she  _had_ been shot.

"Sweetie! Why didn't you tell me? Never mind, that! We need to get you to the infirmary!" Vanya nodded, and let mom drag her to the infirmary. Ben followed them quietly. He wasn't going to leave his sister, not when she needed him.

"She must've gotten shot during the fight... I should've noticed." Ben mindlessly rattled off. He should've. She was his responsibility, especially during a fight. She hadn't been involved in a fight in almost fifteen years, as far as he knew.

"Honey, she was covered in blood, and you were in the middle of a fight. You know how things get confused and mixed up in the midst. You can't blame yourself for missing it." Mom said softly. Ben wanted to believe her, but he just couldn't.

"If you won't take that, then help her now. If she needs to reach something and can't, do it for her. If you get into another fight, stay by her side. If she needs to cry, give her your shoulder. But you cannot blame yourself for something you could not control. Stop blaming yourself." Mom gave him a meaningful look. Vanya was watching the both of them, she looked on the verge of crying.

Ben hugged Vanya to his side, and ignored the tears that flowed down her cheeks. The rest of the walk to the infirmary was quiet.

"Hop up here sweetie." Mom pat the table, and watched Vanya get up. Ben held onto her uninjured hand, they both watched mom pull out the needle and thread. He whispered soothing words to her when she gripped his hand tighter.

Mom snapped on her gloves,  "This'll hurt a bit, Sweetie." A needle eased into Vanya's arm, right above the gunshot wound. "I just injected you with Lidocaine, a local numbing agent. You won't feel a thing as I sew you back up. Look away if you need to sweetie." Vanya went paler, and snapped her head to the side.

Mom went as quick a possible, four stitches. After wrapping the wound she put Vanya's right arm in a sling.

"One last thing, sweetie. I need you to flex your fingers." Vanya did as she said. "Good, there seems to be no loss of control. No intense bleeding, the bullet hadn't nicked your brachial artery. We will have to watch for nerve damage regardless." Mom took of her gloves and pat her back.

"Now, let's go meet with father! We've kept him waiting long enough."

* * *

 

Father set a notepad and pen in front of her. Quietly stating that he fully expected her to participate in this conversation. She slid the notebook towards her.

"Now, I want a full debrief of what happened. Leave nothing out." Father sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers.

Vanya turned to Ben and nodded. Ben faced father, and told father almost everything. He left anything about their time travelling out of the retelling. Father didn't need to know anything about that. Not now, not ever.

Father's attention switched to her.

"Number seven, you will resume training with the other students tomorrow." Her eyes widened. She didn't expect this. Did he suspect she wasn't taking her pills anymore, or did he want her use her powers now. She didn't like this turn of events.

_Yes, father._

"Dismissed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it's a bit late, and a little short.


	6. devil's den

Ben woke Vanya up the next morning, she got out of bed full of dread. Vanya hadn't woken up this early since she was five years old. She was forced to forget she had abilities not long after that.

She put on the clothes that mom had laid out for her. They were the kind meant for sports and intense movement. Putting them on took a bit of maneuvering around her sling. She winced when a nerve jolted.

The girls bathroom was occupied by the time she walked out into the hallway. Vanya leaned against the wall, waiting for Allison to finish up.

Maybe father knew she wasn't taking her meds anymore? Was that why he'd forced her to participate in the team exercises? Vanya hoped not. Her abilities were powerful, but they were untamed. So influenced by emotions that had been suppressed for years. Never mind the fact that she hated violence.

She would refuse to participate in any mission if father tried to force her. Using her powers on accident was different from using them purposefully to subdue criminals. She didn't know if she could take them down non-lethally. She would not kill anyone, and that was a dangerous possibility if she used her powers on a mission.

The bathroom door opened, and Allison stepped out. Allison saw her leaning against the wall and stepped towards her.

"What are you doing up? You don't usually wake up until seven. And why are you dressed like that?" Allison crossed her arms and took Vanya in. Taking note of her outfit and sling with surprise.

"Why are you wearing a sling?" Vanya shrugged, and stepped past her sister. She shut the bathroom door behind her. Vanya focused on brushing her teeth when she heard Allison's huff and retreating footsteps.

Brushing her teeth with her left hand was hard, she realized. So was getting the toothpaste from the tube the the brush. Flossing was impossible. She spent a little bit longer swishing her mouthwash to make up for it.

She cringed when it came to combing her hair. It wasn't hard, but awkward. She took her time making sure she got everything. She didn't even bother trying to put her hair up.

She turned off the bathroom light and left. Vanya clung to the banister of the staircase, afraid that if she fell she wouldn't be able to catch herself.

"Wait up, Vanya!" Ben stood at the top of the staircase, he quickly jogged down to her step and put a careful hand on her right shoulder.

"This, your shoulder, doesn't hurt you right?" Vanya shook her head, and leaned into his touch. It was reassuring. They took the last few steps together, Ben switched to her left side when they reached the bottom step. He took her hand, and lead her to the training area.

Vanya stuck close to him, she'd only been in this area a few times. That was so long ago. The training area was a big empty room, with racks full of training tools lining the sides. A full wall was a floor to ceiling mirror.

Nervously, she let go of Ben's hand and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She stared longingly at the hair tie on her wrist. Any ponytail she attempted would just turn out horrible.

"Here, let me." Ben held out his hand and she stared at him blankly. He smiled and pointed towards her wrist. She blinked then held out her wrist.

"I'll admit, I don't know much about styling hair, but how hard can a ponytail be?" As it turned out, pretty hard. At least a neat pony tail was. They had both sat down during the process, both facing the mirror. Vanya had tried to make it easier, trying to guide his hands with her one.

Vanya could only giggle when Ben started cursing. The others walked in on them laughing at the ridiculous state of her hair. Ben somehow managed to let go of half of her hair when trying to tie it up.

"Maybe we should ask for help?" Ben suggested with a defeated tone. She laughed, and nodded. They turned to the others, Ben asked for Allison.

"Can you put her hair up? I tried, but I definitely need more practice." Ben said sheepishly, and scratched the back of his neck. Allison hummed noncommittally and put her hair in a ponytail in a few seconds.

"Now, can either of you tell me why Vanya is here, and with her arm in a sling?" Allison focused on Ben, but kept glancing at her. Vanya shifted uneasily at that look. The other siblings joined them, but kept their distance. Obviously wanting to know too.

"Uh, Vanya and I went to Griddys, and had a run in with a group of armed men." Ben glanced at Vanya before continuing. "We subdued them, and Vanya had been shot during the fight." Five scoffed, and glared at Ben. They all looked at him.

"And you didn't protect her? She has no powers, and barely has been trained in hand to hand." Vanya looked away, and hugged herself. He was wrong, but that was who she was here. Useless number seven.

"I didn't really need to, she held herself just fine in the fight. You know how fights are Five. Things get lost in the commotion." Ben put a hand on Vanya's shoulder. She looked at him, but he wasn't looking at her.

"If that's true, then she shouldn't be injured at all. Seems you're not as good as you say you are." Ben's hand on her shoulder clenched. She bit back the whimper that almost came out. The nerves in her arm became inflamed, she stopped herself from jerking out of Ben's grasp. He didn't mean it, and he seemed to need to touch something right now.

"Number five, stop antagonizing number six. Number seven is joining us today, and from now on so we can prevent another incident like this from ever happening again." They all jerked when father's voice broke the tension. None of them heard him enter the room.

"Now, everyone but number seven will continue with your usual activities and exercises. Number seven, you will come with me." Vanya nodded, and made a bee line for father. She blocked out her siblings, and paid her full attention to father.

"Before we begin strengthening your body, we must discuss something. Into this room." Father directed her into a room next to the training area. It was arranged like an office, with the standard bookshelves, desk, and big office chair. Father gestured to a chair opposite of the big office chair.

"Sit. I have kept something from you, for the good of the world." Vanya gripped the edges of the chair. She was sure that her nails were leaving crescent marks in the leather. Was he about to tell her? Take full responsibility for everything?

"Number seven, you have powers." Father paused, like he was waiting for some outburst. The only thing she did was tense up. Father took in her appearance, and leaned back against his chair. He made an understanding noise.

"You knew. I'm not surprised. I have to commend you for keeping your powers under control so far." Vanya wanted out of this room now. The voice started shouting at her to take advantage of her pumping heart and bust out of this room. She felt her nails push through the leather of her seat.

Father leaned forward, his face serious.

"Control it number seven, it is your power." Father commanded, and she couldn't help but obey. No matter how much the voice screamed at her to kill him for his insolence, and his abuse. No matter how much she wanted to listen to the voice, she didn't want the world to end because she lost control. Because that's what would happen if she let go, and let the voice tell her what to do.

"Breath." Vanya realized she'd been holding her breathe, and let go. She sucked air in, coughing the whole time.

"You've passed, number seven. Your medication will no longer be given to you." Father stood up, she noted out of the corner of her eye.

"Join the others in the training area once you've stopped this nonsense." With that, father left the room.

It took her a bit to take her head from between her knees. When she did, she looked around the room and saw the chaos. She blinked. Everything was uprooted and overturned. The bookshelves knocked over, the window shattered, and the trinkets that once sat on the desk were now embedded in the wall. She looked down and saw that the space around her was clear.

She paled when she saw the blood on the chair father had been sitting in.

* * *

 

His test went according to plan. Well almost, he thought, as he held his hand to his steadily bleeding side.

Number seven listened to his commands, she'd wanted to listen to him. She didn't want to be to of control, but easily gave into him. He could work with this, it would take time, but he could control her.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> five doesn't mean to be so... mean. but he's lashing out a bit. titles a bit crappy bc i wasn't able to get to the next character remembering (titles are usually #number when a character remembers) so its a random song title from my playlist.
> 
> next character to remember, who do you guys think it is?


	7. #4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyyyy!! not dead!! but really fuckin stressed abt college!!! thank you guys for being supportive, i might post another chapter tmw.
> 
> made a cover for this story,  
> [here](https://flubi.tumblr.com/post/185671298809/white-violin-plz-reblog-if-you-like-my-art).

Vanya went through the motions for the rest of the day. She was still reeling from the events that occurred in the office.

_...she looked around the room and saw the chaos. ....uprooted and overturned... bookshelves knocked over... shattered... embedded in the wall.... She looked down and saw that the space around her was clear...._ _blood on the chair father had been sitting in..._

Father was encouraging her to release her powers, but she still felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. For father to drag her back to the room and drug her dead.

* * *

 

Ben watched Vanya coast through the day, barely aware of what was going on around her. He'd tried to approach her multiple times, but every time he tried she shied away. Vanya didn't want to talk about it.

But it wasn't like they had enough time to get into it. Father packed her schedule with remedial classes and isolated study sessions. He wouldn't even know this if it wasn't for mother telling that they had some free time while Vanya caught up to them.

The others took this well. Except for Five and him. Five was filled with the same worry as him. But instead of it manifesting quietly, he was all barely controlled rage and concern. More than once, Ben caught him about to teleport.

"What are you doing Five?" Ben leaned against the doorway and watched Five falter. Five's indecision turned into clenched fists. Five quickly left the room and shoved his shoulder against Ben's. Ben watched him go.

If Ben was being honest, if he had Five's power, he'd be using it to check on Vanya. That's what he suspected Five was trying to do. Or maybe Five was just trying to get out of this house.

* * *

 

Ben was able to corner Vanya right before bed that night by skipping his turn in the shower. He grimaced but promised himself he'd be the first one in tomorrow morning.

He wasted no changing before moving as quick as he could make seem casual, and knocked on Vanya's door. Diego side-eyed him but still went into the bathroom thirty minutes earlier than usual. Quietly Vanya's door opened enough for Ben to see one of her eyes, then he was yanked into the room.

Vanya shoved the door closed behind him, and locked it. Vanya fell into his arms, sobbing quietly.

"Shh, it's okay. Shh." Ben cradled her to him, stroking her hair. He lowered them to the floor, and settled Vanya in his lap. He was going to wait until she had calmed down more to ask what happened, but she surprised him.

"B-ben..." Her voice was rough from disuse, there was no mistaking it was her voice. He pulled back from her a bit still keeping his hold on her the whole time. Vanya didn't even seem to notice she had spoken, still crying into his shoulder.

"No one can hurt you while I'm here Vanya, no one." Ben glared over her shoulder. Wishing father was here so he could see this one act of defiance. Vanya's crying stuttered, and she pulled back from him. He kept his arms loosely wrapped around her back, but let her pull away.

"Not... not th-that." Vanya shook her head violently, hair whipping him in the face. He grimaced, then cleared his face after seeing her expression. His hands started rubbing circles in her back in an attempt to ease her grief.

"Then what, Vanya?" Ben carefully molded his face into sympathy, rather than the rage he was feeling. Vanya swallowed several times before she worked up the courage to speak.

"Fath-father wants... to use... my po-powers," Vanya paused and grabbed his shirt even tighter than before, "she, she, she wants... me to ki-... kill everyone..." Ben's eyes widened. She? Who did Vanya mean? Vanya hadn't been in contact with a she, except for mom, and Allison. But neither of them would use their influence or powers on Vanya. At least he didn't think. His face hardened.

"Who is 'she'?" It was a good thing Vanya hadn't looked up at all, because his face was almost as scary as the monster in his chest. She stared trembling, and continued to for the next several minutes.

"The White Violin." Vanya spoke with so much vitriol and certainty that Ben almost jerked away from her.  He eyed her for any changes in her personality, or any sign that her powers had activated. Carefully he tilted her chin up, and took in her face. He sighed in relief when her eyes were their normal, ordinary brown.

"Who's the White Violin? How is she talking to you?" Ben kept his hand on her chin and adopted a relaxed posture.

"The world... ender," Vanya's eyes flashed white, but returned to their beautiful brown, "I... I think she's apart of, of me." Ben considered that. It made sense. The woman who ended the world was not the one in his lap. 

The one who ended the world was so full of apathy, but Vanya was raw and wore her heart on her sleeve. He hugged her to him.

"I'm so proud of you Vanya. You have kept her under control in this highly stressful situation. Most would've lost control after realizing they were back in their highly traumatic childhood. You have faced down father, assassins, and our own siblings. But not once have you given in and let her destroy everything." Vanya started crying again.

Eventually she cried herself to sleep, and Ben maneuvered them into her bed.

* * *

 

"Number seven, while you have been put back on the team, you are not combat ready. As such, you will not accompany the others on their missions until I have deemed you ready."

* * *

 

A week after the day that father forced her to unleash her powers, and (officially, he didn't know she hadn't been on them for a while) took her off the dampening pills, the alarm blared.

Vanya hadn't been filled with so much anxiety since she got back and saw her violin case. But this anxiety wasn't for herself. It was for Ben, Five, and all of her siblings. She didn't remember this mission, and who knows what could change because of her or Ben.

Before he'd left, Ben hugged her. She held her middle with one arm, trying to recreate the reassuring feeling he always emanated. But it was only a cheap imitation.

Mom and Pogo had taken her with them to observe the television broadcasting the bank robbery her siblings were stopping.

It was going well. She thinks. There were no cameras in the building, but if the man thrown out the window was any indication, Luther was fine. And if Luther was fine, then so was everyone else.

Luther tended to stop fighting when one of their siblings was hurt near him. If only to guard them from other attacks.

The gunshots paused, then started again inter sped with bloodcurdling screams. Vanya frowned, Ben had activated his powers.

She ignored the reporter's comments, and listened carefully. The screams stopped, and all the hostages stepped out. Her siblings stepped out fifteen minutes later, likely helping Ben clean up. Father strolled up to them, his cane clacking on each stone step. Her siblings lined up next to him.

"I have adopted seven children gifted with abilities far beyond the ordinary..." Vanya jerked. He'd said seven. 

He'd said seven.

* * *

 

Ben jerked at the same time, but for a different reason. Klaus was looking around with a certain deliriousness and confusion that he associated with druggie Klaus.

His brows furrowed.

It seemed Klaus had woken up.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> coming from a star wars nerd, its really hard to write five instead of fives. as much as i love klaus, it really doesn't make sense for him to be on missions, unless he has something up his sleeves. so i made him really good at gymnastics and well versed in using anything as a weapon.
> 
> god, i feel so bad for ben, he's constantly latching onto the most damaged family member and is kinda forced to try to help them. at least this time vanya wants help.


	8. natural

"I am Sir Reginald Hargreeves, I have adopted seven children with abilities far beyond the ordinary. I give you the Umbrella Academy!"

"What is the goal of the Umbrella Academy?"

"How did the children stop the robbers?!"

"But sir? There are only six children!"

"The Umbrella Academy has been formed to handle threats beyond the ordinary. The children all have individual and unique abilities that will be disclosed in a private interview, later."

"And the seventh child? Who are they?!"

"My ace."

* * *

 

Reginald watched the children mingle quietly. They were all reeling from his announcement, but disciplined enough to not contradict him in from of the others.

Now that they were in his private van, he expected the questions.

"Vanya... Vanya has powers?" Number one asked quietly, keeping his eyes down. The other children looked to number one in anticipation.

"Yes." Reginald looked at his watch. The children had done well for their first mission. But he would not be as forgiving during their second. They needed to vastly improve their time, fourteen minutes and thirty-seven seconds was unacceptable for a simple bank robbery.

Reginald noted something odd. Number six was watching number four instead of number one.

"How?" This time number five spoke up. His face was twisted into defiance. Reginald frowned at that.  If number five exhibited anymore signs of rebellion, he'd have to change his training schedule.

"I suppressed her powers until she could control them herself. It seems her becoming mute had some benefits." Reginald observed their reactions and pulled his notebook out.

Numbers one through three seemed to only exhibit concerns for a new competitor. Number four was out of it, barely listening. Number five was seething, but spoke no more. Nor did he make any action that could be interpreted as rebellion. Number Six was only frowning. Based on his close relationship with number seven, he likely already knew this.

Reginald made sure to jot down 'observe number four and six for further odd behavior'.

* * *

 

Vanya waited by the door after the broadcast ended. Mom went to the kitchen to make energy boosting snacks for the others. Pogo had left with the van to pick them up.

Vanya waited. Father had included her with the others. He had called her his ace.

She absentmindedly picked at the sling holding her right arm. She technically didn't need it anymore, but there was no feeling in that arm. She could move it almost normally, but the precision that normally lay in her fingers was gone. She couldn't write with her right arm without it looking like chicken scratch.

Her left hand's hand writing wasn't much better, but her left arm wasn't a liability.

She shook her head. No thinking like that. Her physical therapy was going well, but her right arm could never be used to do delicate or precise work again.

Father had only tutted at that and demanded that she use her left arm as her dominate arm from now on. It was hard. Her works took twice as long to grade compared to her siblings. Push ups were impossible for now, so was lifting anything heavier than a milk jug. She hated that her independence was taken away by a stray bullet.

"Vanya?" Her head snapped up. Ben was standing in from of her, he had his hand resting lightly on her left shoulder. She tilted her head at him in question.

"I've been trying to get your attention, but we need to talk." She nodded, and let him lead her to the kitchen. All of her siblings were sitting at the table eating. 

Ben snagged a plate for both of them, and dragged both of them to the library. She ignored the looks her siblings shot her.

She sat down next to Ben on the comfiest couch. She let her plate sit on her lap, and waited in silence while he finished his food. She wasn't hungry right now.

"Are you okay with speaking here?" Vanya blinked at him and considered him. Vanya has slowly started speaking more (only with Ben though). He always asked her that before they talked. But only whenever they were alone. Regardless of her answer, he always made sure there was a notebook in reach.

The library was empty. Father had retreated his study. Mom was in the kitchen with her siblings. Pogo was... not here. Maybe...

She nodded. Ben smiled. A little bit of her discomfort was worth it. Ben put his plate on the floor, out of reach and turned his knees towards her.

"Klaus has woken up." Vanya hummed. She wondered why they were waking up in the order that they did.  If anything she would've thought that Five would wake up first. She shook her head, no use dwelling on it now.

"Should we, we approach him now?" Her stutter was getting better.

"Tonight?"

"Yeah."

* * *

 

They knocked on Klaus' door together. Thudding start up, followed by Klaus yelling out that he was coming. The door whipped open and he eyed them both.

"Hmmm?" Klaus leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed carefully. Under further inspections, his nails were painted black. Vanya's lips quirked up at that. It seems it only took one time for him to remember, like Vanya.

"Can we come inside and talk?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, sure. Make sure to close the door on your way in." Klaus drew back and waved his hand.  Vanya grinned at his familiar behavior.

They all ended up on Klaus's floor, him painting Vanya's nails a deep blue. He'd initially suggested white. That was quickly shot down by both Ben and Vanya.

They were dancing around the topic they came here to discuss. Klaus had finished her second middle finger by the time Ben broke the easy atmosphere.

"Klaus..." Klaus quickly swiped the polish over her last two nails and capped the bottle.

"Yeah, I figured. Finally got the recognition you wanted eh?" Vanya paled at that. She didn't want it. Not anymore. She knew the cost of her powers, but didn't want to live a half live again.

"That's not cool Klaus." Klaus waved his hand flippantly at Ben's angry expression.

"And you got your body back. Dave is alive again. The world isn't ending anymore. Pretty sweet life we got here if you ask me. Except for father dearest. I'm not going to fuck up anything we got, be more worried about Luther or Diego on that front." Klaus leaned back and watched them with half lidded eyes. Vanya reached for her notebook but stopped halfway. Her nails were still wet.

Ben seemed to get her intentions.

"Klaus, that isn't why we're here."

"Then why? We all know I'm the resident fuck up."

"We're here to ease you in, to hide the most obvious changes so you don't get noticed like Vanya! So no one dies, gets drugged half to death, and the world doesn't end! And I'm pretty sure we're doing great with the last two!" Ben waved his hands around, "So will you get your head out of your ass and listen to us?" Ben huffed and crossed his arms. Vanya sent a pleading look towards Klaus.

Klaus sighed.

"Fine."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys wanna take a stab at why they're waking up in the order that they are (and maybe what the future order will be)? the first people to get either of it right, gets to put a scene in here, OR will get to pick a scene for me to illustrate.
> 
> for all intents and purposes, vanya is selectively mute, and will not be speaking to her other siblings for a while.


	9. free animal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The order is 7 6 4 3 2 1 5. Rainbowdea was the first to get it right (on order)! bttrthanSHIELD and Fraguess got the reasoning right! most to least fucked up/needs the most fixing.
> 
> feel free to leave your requests below! it can be a prompt based on this story (i.e. a request to see Ben's pov, a crackshot in this setting, etc...), or art (the previous guidelines apply in addition to an illustration of an already written scene)! don't feel pressured to claim your winning/request anything!

"What's your wisdom oh wise sage?"

"Well first of all, don't do that. Second, no drugs. I'd rather you not start that up again, at all, but it'd be really suspicious if you suddenly knew where to get them after... this." Ben paused and gestured vaguely to all three of them. Vanya nodded, making an aborted movement towards her notebook.

"Lemme see your nails." Klaus held out his hand, waiting for Vanya to put hers in his. He examined her nails and nodded. "You can write, just be careful."

Vanya grabbed her notebook and slowly scrawled with her left hand. She paused periodically and scratched something out. Ben turned back to Klaus.

"Third, don't try to kill father yet. We need to keep our financial stability until everyone has remembered. Pogo and mom can't exactly take over custody of us, and father's assests will be frozen. So until then we will wait for of us to get here and come up with a plan  _together_ , to get rid of him." Ben didn't even flinch when Vanya punched him in the arm. Klaus raised his eyebrow at that. He didn't even know that was on the table.

"Yeah, I know how much you don't like murder, but can't you just make an exception this once?" Vanya flipped to a new page and quickly wrote.

_not around me._

Then flipped back to her original page. Ben pouted.

"Okay. Fourth? I think we were on the fourth pointer-thingy... Uh. I don't think showing off too much of your powers is going to be a major issue." Klaus rolled his eyes.

"Awww, I was going to bring up dear old daddy's ghosts. They're all super pissed at him. But I guess not..." Ben grimaced.

"Moving on, fifth point. Don't talk to the others about our time travel until they remember." This was one of the points Vanya was firm on. He agreed. Their thirteen year old selves were too immature to handle anything that had happened in the future. They didn't even know how to do taxes (Ben didn't know either, and Klaus had called himself a tax evader multiple times. Allison probably knew how to do taxes, maybe Diego.).

"How will I be able to tell they've remembered? Is it a magical little feeling? A glow? What if I misjudge?" Klaus wiggled in in place and waved his hands. Ben shook his head at him.

"Trust me, you'll know. It's kind of hard to miss." Vanya nodded at that.

"Who do you think is going to remember next? Has Five remembered?" Klaus wondered absentmindedly. Five wasn't here, but Five was... Five.

"Maybe Allison? I don't know..." Ben turned to Vanya for her input. She flipped her pages and wrote quickly.

_five hasn't remembered. i think he's going to be last. prolly making sur we all got thru._

Then she tapped in the paragraph on the previous page. There were whole lines scribbled out, spelling errors made in a rush. Ben leaned against Vanya and read aloud.

"Continue acting like your thirteen year... old self for as long as you can. The longer you can keep father's eye off you, the... better off you'll be. I'm trying to... His attention is on me." Ben paused and started rubbing circles on Vanya's back. She leaned into his touch. "I think he has a way to watch us... he knew about my powers before Griddys. He has a notebook that he keeps notes on us."

"I think I know what notebook you're talking about." Klaus grimaced. Maybe he could lift if from father and throw it away again? It's not like father would immediately know it was him who did it, right?

"Just... just be careful." Ben warned cautiously, recognizing that gleam in Klaus' eye. Then launched into another round of advice.

* * *

 

Five leaned against the wall next to door and resisted the urge to teleport away. That would make a sound, and. And he couldn't let them know he'd eavesdropped.

He pushed away from the wall and slowly creeped away, tiptoeing around the loose and creaky floor boards.

That was... a lot to think about. Of all the things he'd suspected his siblings to be up to, that wasn't even in the top one hundred. But it made complete and utter sense. Vanya's personality change, Ben's attention suddenly being solely focused on Vanya, it all related back to time travel. And apparently he was involved.

He'd time traveled. Well, not him, not yet. Those three had made it sound like it was a matter of time before they all remembered.

He closed his door behind him and sat on his bed.

Did Vanya hate him? Did he do something in the future to make her hate him? Was that why she barely looked at him anymore?

He hoped not.

* * *

 

In the morning, Five resolved to be more involved in Vanya's life. To do everything he could to avoid her hating him. Even if it meant swallowing his pride.

* * *

 

Vanya sat at her usual seat, and waited. Saturdays were their one rest day, where father only gave them one lesson. The rest of the day was to be used as they pleased (as long as it was a father approved activity, but he was pretty lenient as long as you could spin it as educational or team bonding).

Ben, Klaus, and her were planning to hang out in the library and one of the gyms for 'team bonding'. They wanted to test Ben's tentacles, and Klaus' acrobatics. While they had absorbed their thirteen year old selves memories, muscle memory was completely different. At least for Klaus. For Ben it was just getting back into the swing of things.

None of them dwelled on the fact that everything was new for Vanya.

A chair scrapped against the floor. Vanya looked up from her empty plate and saw Five sitting to her left. She blinked.

Five had stopped sitting next to her after she refused to look at him anymore (he was a reminder of the apocalypse, the one he tried so hard to stop). She didn't mean to shun Five, it just happened.

"Hey Vanya."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> plz recommend me good (family-orientated/fluffy/hurt-comfort) tua fics
> 
> !!!!!!!!!!!mild spoiler below!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Guest (on chapter 8): Ps. Isn't Dave actually still dead? I mean... He died during Vietnam War
> 
> klaus's logic is that he hasn't time traveled yet, and bc of that, dave is either in a retirement home, dead currently (but can be saved if he yanks him out of his time). klaus is being rllllyyyy optimistic (and i have plans for dave, so he schrodinger's cat rn). but yeah, you're right.


	10. Would I Lie To You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recap:
> 
> Five had stopped sitting next to her after she refused to look at him anymore (he was a reminder of the apocalypse, the one he tried so hard to stop). She didn't mean to shun Five, it just happened.
> 
> "Hey Vanya."

 

She gave him a tight smile then resolutely stared down at her plate. She couldn't handle this right now. Why couldn't he pick lunch? Or never?

Vanya almost wished she was on the pills...

Her body jerked violently. She'd  _never_ go back on those pills. She can't believe she'd thought that. She'd lied to  _father_  rather than take those pills.

"Vanya? Are you okay?" Five waved his hand in front of her face, trying to grab her attention. This time she let him have it. Better to face something uncomfortable than something depressing.

Five frowned at her when she just nodded.

"Are you sure? I can go get mom to check on you, if you want?" She pulled out her notebook and ignored the large amount of pages missing. Last night they had fun destroying the evidence of their conversation. Vanya opened the notebook to a clean page and wrote.

_I'm fine, just tired. You don't need to get mom for me._

Five looked like he didn't quite believe her, but he dropped it. He started talking. Nothing of substance, just something to fill the air. She frowned, Five wasn't one to needlessly talk.

_Is something wrong, Five?_

Five paused his chatter and stared at the words on the page. He seemed to be contemplating what to say to that. Vanya watched his micro expressions. They shifted rapidly between sadness, guilt, resignation, and finally determination. He leaned forward, resting his elbows uncomfortably on his cutlery and plate.

"Can I join you during rest today?" His eyes pleaded with her, trying to get her sympathy and acceptance.

She hesitantly nodded. Five's face broke into a huge grin that he quickly covered up when Allison walked in. She sent them odd looks.

Breakfast was mostly uneventful from that point on. Occasionally Five engaged her, and others sent them weird looks. She tried to ignore the warm feeling in her chest.

* * *

 

Father's lesson was just as uneventful. When father had his back to them, Vanya tossed Ben a note.  It basically told him that Five was joining them today, to not act suspicious, and to pass the note to Klaus. And when Klaus read it, he had to hide it.

Their note passing wasn't caught by anybody. Vanya let out a tiny sigh of relief and turned back to their lesson.

When the lesson ended, their group plus Five walked to the library. Klaus filled the air with idle conversation and observations. Ben was the one stuck entertaining him (she might've helped if she felt comfortable talking to Klaus and Five wasn't around).

"I'm just saying, if it's in a piece of bread, it's a sandwich. I mean," Ben interrupted him.

"Kolaches Klaus. Are they sandwiches?" Ben raised his eyebrow playfully. Klaus pretended to consider it. Vanya watched Five look up at the ceiling regretfully.

"Or course, it's also a piece of meat wrapped in a piece of bread. Not much different from a hot dog." Klaus looked expectantly at Ben. 

"Wrong! The bread isn't a piece, it's a small loaf! Therefore it doesn't fit into your restrictions of what makes a sandwich." Five started massaging the crease in between his brows. It heavily reminded her of the older Five. She wondered where he picked up that habit.

"You were the one that brought kolaches up, I'm just trying to argue the validity of a hot dog being a sandwich." Klaus threw his hands up.

"A hot dog isn't a sandwich!" Ben leaned in and 'angrily' huffed. Vanya smiled and giggled at that.

"It's just like a sandwich where you only have one piece, so you fold it in half and make do! There's not much difference!" Vanya pointed at Klaus and nodded. Klaus punched the air and Ben looked at her betrayed. Five looked on the verge of slamming his head into the wall.

"See! Vanya agrees with me! You're letting social norms get in the way of you seeing reason. I bet Five agrees with me too!" Klaus turned expectantly towards Five only to get a face full of grump.

"You're both idiots." Five went and sat in an arm chair. Klaus pouted and leaned heavily on Vanya, 'sobbing'. She patted his back a few times then sat on the couch. She curled up and propped her notebook up in her lap, pen poised to participate in the conversation.

Ben sat to the right of her, and Klaus squeezed in between him and arm rest. They all sat there in silence. Originally they had planned to discuss their plans for the future, but they couldn't do that now that Five was there. Vanya let her pen swirl on the page while she waited for someone else to say something first.

"So... I-" Five cut Klaus off.

"I know." Vanya blinked, and wrote a single question mark on her page and showed him. He stared at her with and indescribable look.

"I know about the memories." Vanya just stared at him. Everything else was drowned out by the rush filling her head. It was just like when White Violin talked to her, but this time she was oddly silent. Like she was waiting for something.

Vanya wondered where she went wrong. How could he know when he'd shown no sign or remembering before. She knows she had stopped being his best friend, but she thinks she would know when someone remembered. It was pretty obvious when they did.

But... he had been acting odd this morning. Was he being nice to her because he wanted to prevent the third apocalypse? She wanted to laugh. Of course. If he couldn't kill her, he'd  **coddle her. Until she was unable to defend herself.**

No that was wrong. Vanya shook herself out of it. White Violin was silent because she had taken control without Vanya noticing. As soon as she realized that, she came back to the library where small objects were levitating to the sound of her pounding heartbeat. 

They all dropped to the floor, and frantically she examined her siblings for injuries. White Violin wanted blood, and her siblings were unsuspecting targets.

They all were fine, but Klaus was looking at her with unrestrained fear. Her eyes widened, and she felt herself bolt up from the couch and into her room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor vanya. if it wasn't obvious, vanya thinks five remembered, not that he overheard their conversation.

**Author's Note:**

> vanya is an unreliable narrator btw. who do you think is going to remember next? everyone present during episode seven /will/ regain their memories, it will just take time.


End file.
